Basin Creek Hot Springs
Open
Day use only; no overnight parkingOpen seasons
- Access
- Roadside; a brief walk from the parking area on Highway 75
- Accommodations
- Day use only: no camping at the springs, no overnight stays in the parking area. Campgrounds line Highway 75
Basin Creek Hot Springs — also known as Cove Hot Springs — is a cluster of rocky, user-built pools along the Salmon River east of Stanley, Idaho, a short hike from the Highway 75 parking area past Basin Creek Campground. It comes with an honest caveat up front: on repeated visits over the years these pools have been found semi-submerged and too cool to soak, so treat this one as a low-water gamble rather than a sure thing.
Description
The pools are rock-built with gravel and rock bottoms, set semi-secluded along the river. When the Salmon River runs high they sit partly underwater and the soak goes cold; at low water they look like a proper soak. This is a day-use stop — there is no overnight camping in the parking area.
Seasonal Notes
Pools submerge during high water. Summer and fall, after runoff drops, are the realistic windows.
Camping
No camping at the hot springs and no overnight camping in the parking area. There are plenty of official campgrounds along Highway 75, plus primitive camping options in the area.
Basin Creek Hot Springs Soak Stats
- Season: Summer, fall
- Access Type: Roadside (short hike from parking)
- Public Land: Sawtooth National Forest
- Elevation: 6,100 ft
- GPS: 44.264, -114.818
- Water Temperature: Not documented (repeatedly too cool on past visits)
- Water Clarity: n/a
- Visibility: High
- Odor(s): None noticed
- Nearest Town: Stanley
- Wildlife: Deer, elk
- Usage Level: Moderate-high
Frequently Asked Questions
How hot is the water?
Not documented. Repeat visits over the years have mostly found the pools under river water and too cold for a soak, so plan on unknown rather than warm.
When is the best time to visit?
Summer and fall, once runoff drops and the Salmon runs low. At high water the pools sit partly underwater and go cold; at low water they can look like a proper soak.
Can I camp nearby or stay overnight?
Not at the springs, and vehicles cannot stay overnight in the parking area either. Highway 75 has plenty of official campgrounds, and primitive camping is available locally.
How hard is the access?
A brief walk from the parking area on Highway 75, past the old Basin Creek Campground site, east of Stanley.
Is this the same spring as Basin Creek Campground Hot Springs?
No. They are two separate listings about a mile apart. These pools sit on the Salmon River; the Campground listing’s pools sit on Basin Creek itself, behind the old campground's campsite number 4. Their facts are not interchangeable.
What are the pools like?
Rock-built pools with gravel and rock bottoms, semi-secluded along the river, also known as Cove Hot Springs.
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